Art of exhibiting moving pictures



July 26, 1927.

T. K. PETERS ET AL ART OF EXHIBITING MOVING PICTURES Original Filed Oct. 23, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H 1 mvsuroask IKZEj J-Q 64 229....

monuEv-g 1,636 834 July 1927' T. K. PETERS ET AL ABT OF EXHIBITING MOVING PICTURES Original Filed Oct. 23. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet} JNVENTOR A TORNE V Patented July 26, 1927.

UNETED STATES 1,536,834 PATENT, OFFICE.

THOMAS K. PETERS AND THOMAS C. BARTL AM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ART or EXHIBITING ivrovme Normans,

' Application filed October 23, 1920, Serial No. 418,904; lltenewedJ'anuary ll, 1926,

This invention pertainstothe art of K hibiting moving pictures wherein it is made to appear to the vision that there is an appreciable distance intermediatethe pictures appearing in the foreground and in the background, whereby we are enabled to overcome the display on a screen of pictures all parts of which are displayed in the same plane.

According to the principles of thisdinvenlion, a plurality of moving PlCtUIQS fiIQ PIO- jected onto separate screens, one of which is in direct view of the audience, whereas the other picture or pictures are reflected so as to appear to the view' of the audience, the two or more pictures thus exhibited directly and by reflection being apparently in superposed relation to each other, and-in' the line of vision and'with-an appreciable interval intermediate the picture representing the foreground and the pictures representing the background, so that this interval of separation between the foreground and the background is apparent to personsviewing the pictures at different angles andrstationcd in different partsof the audience. v

The reflection ofa moving picture by mirrors of usual formv is attended ordinarily by an optical condition known as parallax wherein eachpartor subject of a picture is represented by double lines, this being 00-- 'cjasi o ned by a doublerefiectionfrorn'a'single image, the; lines of one reflection being, due to the rays reflected at 'a definite. angle from the front surface of the mirror and the other reflection due to the light rays passing through the mirror glass and reflected from the rear surface at, a corresponding definite angle, the rays reflected separately from the front and the rear-mirror surfaces being par allel, so that to the eye of the observer there is presented an image defined'by double lines.

In the use of a mirror or'mirrors of relaof exceeding thinness, such form of mirror being desirably obtained by the electrolytic deposition of platinum, although other metals may be used'and for convenience we will occasfonally refer "to such'a mirror as a platinized mirror. i

Assuming that the apparatus employs two projecting machines,'th pictures in rapid succession are thrownonto two ground glass screens, one ofjwhichis inthe full view of the audience, whereas'the other. screen is con: cealed from the View of i the audience The pictures representing" the foreground are projected on the screen lying in the full View of theaudience, whereas'the pictures or the background are "thrown 'on' the concealed screen,,in front of which concealed screen is a mirror the inetalliz'ed surface of which is opposed to the background "screen, said mirror beinga't' anfangle to'the' screen with which it is associated? "In lront of "the screen on which the'foregroundpictures are projected 'is" a secondtran's parent mirror the metallized surface of which is in facing relation'to the concealedinirror in front of the background screen,"the two mirrors being parallel and thesecond inirror' being'"at an angle to the" foregrou nd'screen. Said second mirror, (the onein front of the foreground screenlis transparentso that the foreground pictures displayed en'the-s'creen in its rear is plainly'vi si ble to the=audience,andagainst this" second mirrori is reflecfi'ad the pictures representing 'the background? and thrown on" the qnca1ed seren by one i projecting ma-- chine, SUcli' 'rfiechZOn being due to the action' of the concealed mirror positioned in. front of'the concealed screenJIt follows from the rela'ti'ori'an'd' organization ofj-the projecting machines, thetwo' screens; and the two ear: rors that the foreground pictures are-dis played on the screen positioned -in"rear"of the transparentlniiior, whereas the pictures representing" the background are thrown on theconceal'ed screen and reflected'by the two mirrors so that we have appearir'ig to the eye of a personin" 'the'audienc'e twosuper'posed pictures with an appreciable distance intervening the foreground pictures and the back" ground pictures, which-interval of separa-' tion is exhibited when viewed at "dilferent angles by persons at widelyi'separated 'sta tions in the audience" 1- From -what has-been said it will'be understoodthepictures representing the foreground are} thrown directly on a screen in f ll View of the audienceand visible through its!) a transparent mirror, whereas the pictures of the background are reflected by mirrors tironi a concealed screen, and although the background pictures are reflected'by mirrors positioned in front otthe planeof that screen on which is displayed the-foreground pictures, the optical effect is that the background pictures (the reflected pictures) are the invention, wherein- Figure l is a vertical section through one form of apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view of another form of apparatus. 4 i

Figures 3 and a are similar views through otherforn'is of apparatus, and

Figures 5, (1 and 7 are diagrammatic views showing the individual pictureson the two ground glass screens and a combination of such individual pictures in superposed relation. I I

Referring to Figure l, A is a suitable stage setting with a hood a and an observa tion opening a In the rear wall ofthe stage setting are openings a" a" with a horizontal light excluding -wa.ll.a intermediate the planes of said openings Across the opening a is aground glassf screen B positioned in the horizontalplane'of th'e ob servation opening a, and po ioned rear wardly of the screen B, is a projecting na chine C operable for throwinga? succession of moving pictures ontothe screen Bfor depicting the foreground, said screeu B be ing in the direct path of the heainoflight from the projector C and said screen being in the line of the direct vision of the, audience. i V

A ground glass screen -D-,is positioned across opening a and in the rear of-the hood to be concealed thereby .froin the view of the audience, and in the rear of screen. D is a second projecting machine E, the latter. operating to throw onto screen;D a successio'n .o f ;pictures representing the background. The projectors OE may be of any desired construction knownto those skilled in the art, and-the action of ithetwo projectors is. synchronized; by; suitable; means, the synchronizing meansbe'ijng. of'anyappro'ved form and I diagrammatically represented by a shaft 0 operatively connected by gears 11 with the film sprockets (not shown) of iiesaid projecto s j v l? is a transparentmirror positioned within the setting A and intermediate the screen B and observation opening a, said mirror being of a transparent nature so that an observer seated in the audience is ableto view the pictures thrown on screen B by projector C as indicatedby the arrows. The mirror is at an ang e to the vertical plane of the screen B, said mirror being composed of a glass slab of the appropriate dimensions and having a nietallized surface f, as will presently appear.

t is a second mirror positioned within the setting and in rearfof the hood a thereof so as to be invisible to the audience, said mirrorG being in front of the screen D and inclined at an angle thereto. Mirror G is provided with ametallized surface 9, 'the latter being on that face of the glass slab of mirror G which faces or is opposed to the metallizedsurface of mirror'F, the visible mirror F andconcealed mirror G being positioned parallel to each other. The concealed mirrorG is in front of screen D for reflecting the images thrown onto screen D by the projector E, a' nd'said mirror G thus acts to reflect-the images depictingt'he background against the visible mirror F, the latter being in front of screen B, whereby the pictures thrown on screen D are reflected by mirrors G F intothe view of the audience with the result thatthe pictures on screen B and the pictures thrown on screen D are reflected bythe n1irrors in a manner todisplay. the two series-of pictures in superposed relation and with an appreciable interval separating the,foreground pictures from the background pictures, which interval of separation perceptible ab any angle of view by persons occupying. different stations in the audience ,anclflth e'ilnages jor pictures so displayed to view being :free'f'roin that optieal ,con'ditio n known sis-parallax.

Each mirror. F and G isp'repared by using a, glass slab 'of'therequirec dimensions, and...electr ilytic'allydepositing thereon a of s itable inetahsuchas platinum, silver, etc.;,' a 'ter. which the metallic coating is .et'cliedin a well nown, manner-T as to cut down the thickness 'of'tlie'fil'm to aithincoating, sayabout Z/IOOOths' of an inch, more or less-,g-As will be seen by reference to the drawing, the lightis thrown from screen D against the n'i'etallized surface 9 of mirror G, {the san eiacting to refiect'th'e light ontothe metallized surface f off transparentniirror E the nietalli'zed surfacesfg of the twornirrorsbeing 'in opposing relation so as to z e th ept cl'c n i .etpe llee by fpreclu ding'the'refraction of 'the light rays. I

Asshownin Figure 1 the concealed mirror G5 is positioned. above the transparent visible n' irror. F, the observation opening a :being at t e be tenr o t e s g se ting; these conditions ma be reversed as shown.

Inn

llu

s, wherein the stage setting is shown as having a tunnel a at the bottom, and the observation opening a at the top. 'liel screen D for the background projector E is at one end'of the tunnel and the non visible. mirror G is at the opposite end of said tunnel ai Screen B for displaying to the view of the audience the foreground picture? is intermediate the projector C and observation opening a, and in front of's aid' screen B1 is the transparent mirror F, the latter being inclined to the plane of screen B. The two mirrors F G are inclinedto in Figure 9 their respective screens B D and parallel to each other, the nietallizedsurfaces f g of mirrors F G respectively being in opposing or facing relation.

A. further modification is shownin Figure t wherein the stage setting A is constructed to accommodate the screens and mirrors to projectors C E positioned for throwing the beams of light on'diverging lines instead of in parallel planes as in Figures 1 and 2. The screen B is perpendicular to the horizontal axis of the stage setting and in rear of observation opening a andfithe' transparent mirror F, whereas the screen D is positioned in the setting A at the angle to theplane of screen B, said screen D being perpendicw larto the beam of light from projector E; Theuon-visible mirror G is at an angle to the plane of inclined screenD iorreflecting the images onto visible rnirror F, as de pieterl by the arrows,-and the metallized surface g of non-visible mirroryGisin-facmg relation to the metallizedsurfacecf the transparent =v1s1ble mrrror F.'

In the machines heretofore described; and

'- shown in vFigures' l," 2,;and 4; twoprpjectors' C, E,-two screensBf-D, and twoqnirrorsiF; G, are used for displaying;iorgegroundapic tures and background pictures in superposed relation 1 but the" principal inventionuis{hot restrictedto theexhibition of two series of such pictures, foii the -reason"that a desired number o f projcctorsliiiafi7be used for displaying a desired number of pictures within view of the audience. Thus, in Figure 3 there is shown a form of apparatus wherein foreground pictures are exhibited by rojector C and screen B, and reflected background pictures are displayed by projector E, screen D and mirrors F, G, and in addition thereto pictures representing an intermediate ground are adapted to be displayed by third projector H, screen I and mirror J. As shown, the projector H throws a succession of pictures onto screen I, the action of said projector H being synchronized by shaft 71- geared to projector C. Screen I is at a right angle to the plane of screens B D and perpendicular to the beam of light from projector H. Transparent mirror F is intermediate opening a and screen B, and between the screen B and mirror F is interbeing at an angle to screens B I and at a,

right angle to mirror F. The metallizedt surface f of mirror F :is in opposing relation to the similar surface 9 of mirror G, but the third mirror J"is provided with a metallized' surface j which faces toward the screen I so as to reflect the images thrown against the screen 1* by projector H, the two mirrors'F J being transparent so asto pcrmitthe audience to view the foreground pictures thrown on screen B by projector C and to reflect into the view of the audience the pictures thrown onscreensD I by the projectors E H resp'ectively, thus givingthe eliect of superposed pictures from the projectorsC E -Hwith appreciable intervals of separation between ther; pictures representing the foreground-,xthe background and the middle or'interm'ediate ground.

=-In' Figures 5 and .6 we haveshown the etiectsobtained by the-two projectors and the two'screens, whereas -F igurei' represents the effect due to the reflection of thev background; pictures in connection-with the rearwardly visible' screen. The screen B of Figure 6' :in conjunction with the projector C shows a succession 'of-pictures representing the foreground screen D of Figure 5 combined with'zprojectonE isjadapted-to I have backgroundnpictures thrown; thereon, whereas mirrors F-- G;ref lec.tinto the path of the. beam :firom: projector C'the images frombthe .scr'een 5 D :St): that the background pictures :appearto therey'e, as being i superposed relation to thc-ifpreground, pictures with iamappreciablej interval separating t twoisaidg pietnres-,--/the; refiectechpic'turcs from screilf-D :i-appaaringi ,tO the eye f gth 010-, e r ir a iplaaa reanwardl-yi of. the foreground: picturesnd sp yed ion. een 1B,- -l Although we bare herein-describ d v r alteniatiwaiembodime tsibfiio riinre io t t should beunde s oqdvt et'warion fie ture h reofimayiboind ijeade tln empl yed, an z'alsmthnt 1l 9 $4l liQ t li mbeii sa s might be devised, by'those skilled in the art to which this case relates, without the slightest departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as set forth above and in the accompanying claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a picture exhibiting machine, a plurality of screens, one of which is normally exposed to view, a plurality of projectors for throwing pictures on the screens, a transparent mirror in the plane of that screen which is normally exposed to view, and means for reflecting the pictures thrown on the other screen onto said transparent mirror.

2. In a picture exhibiting machine, a plurality of screens one of which is normally exposed to view and the other of which is Bil positioned out of. the line of. vision, a pluralit of projectors each operating to throw pictures on one of said screens, a mirror having the capacity for reflecting images and of being transparent, said mirror cooperating with that screen which isfnorinally visible 50 that the pictures thrown thereon are visible through said screen, and a second mirror in cooperative relation to that screenwhich is out of the line of vision and to the first mirror, said second mirror reflecting onto the first mirror the pictures thrown on the nonwisible screen.

3. In a picture exhibiting machine, a plurality of screens one of which is normally exposed to view and the other of which is concealed, a plurality of projectors each operating to throw pictures on one of said screens, a mirror cooperating with the visible screen, said mirror having a thin metallizcd surface and adapted to be rendered transparent by a beam of light from that projector which throws pictures on the .visi ble screen, and a second mirror cooperating with the concealed screen and the first mirror. s 1

4. In a picture exhibiting machine, a plurality of screens one of which is normally exposed to view and the other of which is' con vealed, each mirror including-k1, Inetaillized surface, a'plurality of projectors-each operating to 'throw pictures onone Of'zSlid screens and a plurality of mirrors each cooperating with onescreen; 'theine't'allized surfaces of said mirrors being in opposing relation to each other.

5. In a picture exhibiting machine, -a pluralityof screens'one' of which is normally exposed to view and the'other 0f'which"is concealed, a pluralitypf projectors eae'h 'operating to' throw p'ietures flon'ioneot; said screens, a mirror-positioned atan ga-ngle', to the visible screen and in linea -With the beam of light from the projector which throws pictures onto the visible screen,-land al'-"'-se c'- nd mirror'at an angle-to the concealed screen and having a metallized surface on that face which is in opposing relation to the first mirror. I

6 In a picture exhibiting machine, a plurality of screens, one of which is normally visible and the other is concealed, a plurality of projectors each operating to throw pictures on one of said mirrors, means for synchronizing the action of said projectors, and a pluralityof mirrors positioned in 00- operative relation to the respective screens and to each other, each mirror being at an angle to one of said screens.

7. In a picture exhibiting machine, a Scrcenaand a projector for throwing pictures thereon, a second screen and a second projector for throwing ictures thereon, a mirror-providedwlth a metallized surface, said mirror cooperating with the first screen and rendered transparent ,by the beam of light troinythe..filstzprojector, and a second mirror forreflecting'against the transparent mirror the;im ages thrown on the second screen, said first and second mirrors having inetallized surfaces in opposing. relation.

. ,8.-In a picturerexhibiting machine, a screenand a projector for-throwing thereon picturesrepresenting a foreground, a second screen and a second projector for throwing on thesecond. screen. picturesrepresenting a background, a mirror cooperating with the firstlscreen andpositio'nedinzthe path of the beannofi lightijrox'nflthe first projector so as tosb'rendered transparent :for viewing the ioregrbundipictu'ues onz'saidsfinst screen, and a'se'cond/ i'nirro'rwfor reflecting onto the first mirror the pictfi'res-irepre'senting the :backgnoundso astopobtaineanefiect of a pluralityi of; pictures lin superposui relation and withan appreciable interval-separating the foreground pictures horn the background picturesg," "fl"" 'i 5; 4 Y

i In 'testiinony where0f-:we-have signed our name'srhereto this th; day, of October, 1920. 2 n'EHOMsA-SiK.;1?] 'IERS.'--' 

